Elder Pickett, Elder Terry, Elder Beaser, Elder Trythall, Elder Petersen, Elder Needham- Elders from the Prague District
As is indicated by my title, this transfer has
absolutely flown by. Especially this past week. I barely even know what's going
on anymore. There are a few things that I am certain of. I shall list them
below.
- The
first, and foremost is that there is going to be a baptism today in Prague!
A woman from Nigeria who lives here in Prague and is married to a member
is getting baptized, as well as the daughter of the member from a previous
marriage. I have met her a few times on exchanges, and they are really
awesome, so we are all very excited about that.
- Secondly
is the madness that was visa work this past week. The first appointment on
Thursday was a group coming to pick up their residence cards at the final
visit. That included me. But I wasn't able to get mine, because my visa
hasn't yet actually expired, and that is actually a requirement for
obtaining the long term card. So I get to go back. Which I was going to
have to do anyways, so it's not actually a big deal. The lady helping me
felt really bad about it, but it was totally okay.
- The
one on Friday was really, really stressful leading up to it. It
was the first step in the visa process for the 7 missionaries in their
second transfer here. For that, they need about a billion different
papers, all of which I am responsible for obtaining, filling out, or
changing the information so that everything applies to them. I found many
mistakes, many times, but I think that in the end I had it all correct.
That is the hope. That Friday morning included such fun things as: a last
minute trip to the notary to get a document notarized that I has messed up
on the first time through, a call from one of the companionships who lives
3.5 hours away by train, telling me their train had an unforeseen delay,
finishing checking over, and still finding, mistakes on the green form of
doom (the application paper), and some rain. Just for fun. However, all
went smoothly so that everyone who needed to be there was able to be
there, at the right time, with all the proper documentation I was required
to provide. I was glad to finish that off.
- This
week has been really difficult. Mostly because, with all of these forms,
and with Elder Terry getting orders ready for next week's zone
conferences, we have had very little time to go out and really contact, or
to focus on the missionary aspect of our work here. It is a difficult
balance here in the office sometimes of doing everything that we have to
here, and also putting in the time to do what we have been called here to
really do. We have still been able to find time to meet with two of the
YSA recent converts here in Prague, both of whom are awesome. We talked
about the importance of the scriptures and of preparing to receive
revelation, and reading in the Book of Mormon. I love the power that comes
from the Book of Mormon. It is great to know that when we need a spiritual
boost, that we can always turn to the scriptures and find something for ourselves
or for those we are striving to teach and help.
- Also, on
Monday we had the Young Artist Chamber Players, a group from Utah
came and performed a concert for us on Monday evening. They are
extremely talented and did a phenomenal job. My favorite song that they
did was "We'll Bring the World His Truth." It was a very close
up performance, and they did such a good job, and that song is one of my
favorites. It was a great spiritual boost, and I was grateful to be there
for it.
- There
is try in the gospel! So you can pick yourself up and try, try again! Keep
at your scripture reading, the
blessings are there. I have another talk for you from a BYU speech:
"Nourishing the Tree" -Kenneth A Solen. It's a good one.
- For
Caroline: I think I might miss your birthday party this year...I
will probably be unavailable next year too, unfortunately. But I am
working on sending a little something to you.
It is small, but still coming, along with a good personal note,
detailing many important things (i.e. how you can take over the world). As long as everything goes as planned and
today doesn't explode like most of our days do, I'll send it off today. So
it should get to you...who knows when. Because I don't understand global
postal at all.
My
spiritual thought for this week is on "preparation." As I have
learned this transfer, it is very important to prepare for a visa appointment.
The missionaries have to be notified, the paperwork has to be completed,
transportation has to be arranged beforehand, and an appointment has to be
made. There is a lot of work, but as long as I do it properly, things flow pretty
smoothly. The same can be applied to spiritual appointments. When we go to
Sacrament meeting, when we kneel to pray, and when we open the scriptures, we
need to be prepared. Prepared for the revelation that we are searching for,
prepared for the experience and communication that we will have with the Lord.
So my challenge to you all this week is to take the necessary steps and time to
prepare. I know that blessings with follow. Thanks for all
the support and prayers!
And Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there!
They rock.
-Elder Pickett
Mom
note: There is a great backstory about
Brad’s visa office work. He received his
first visa paperwork in the mail last summer while he was at BYU. It involved getting more passport pictures,
filling out very carefully and legibly all the sections with personal
information and getting it notarized. There
was a lot of discussion back and forth about following directions perfectly
since it is a legal document. He finally
got it all done and left the completely forms in a box at Aunt Jean’s in
Provo. So he had to redo it and under
the watchful detail oriented eyes of Mom this time. Clearly… he was preparing for his visa
assignment.
From a member of the Prague Ward who took the Elders to Vysehrad Castle:
Good day Elders, greetings and photos from Saturday's outing to the ancient Vysehrad .
We are under the statue of St. Wenceslas , which
stood on Wenceslas Square in the early 19th century .
Elders Petersen and Needham illustrate " Sarka and Ctirad " at the famous statues
and finally the walls of Vysehrad, from
which jumped Šemík with Horymír . View of the castle .
Gothic Towers of Vyserhrad
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